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Metronidazole and Alcohol Don’t Really Mix

When it comes to treating bacterial infections, it can be said that metronidazole is easily one of the most effective. Metronidazole belongs to a group of antibiotic drugs called nitromidazoles and their main course of action is the prevention of the growth of the infecting bacteria as well as protozoans. Metronidazole is a highly effective treatment towards bacterial and protozoan infections. However, this antibiotic drug will not work in treating viral infections.

In treating bacterial infections, it is always necessary to take a course antibiotic medication in order to fully remove the infecting bacteria from your body. Antibiotic treatment courses usually last seven days. Within this period, it is important to never mix metronidazole and alcohol. Seven days is only a short span of time so if you are a frequent alcohol drinker to make sure to abstain and not use metronidazole and alcohol at the same time within the time period. You can always drink your favorite alcohol beverage once you are free from infection. Until then, do not use metronidazole and alcohol at the same time.

The thing is, it’s not really that metronidazole and alcohol do not mix. But it is more like that metronidazole slows down the body’s breakdown of alcohol and this can lead to buildup of acetaldehyde in the bloodstream. Basically, mixing metronidazole and alcohol together will lead to conditions like headaches, irregular heart rate, lowered blood pressure, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and other forms of reaction. Basically, the reaction between metronidazole and alcohol is different with each user but is nevertheless most of the time leads to undesirable effects. Worst case scenario from metronidazole and alcohol use may lead to dangerous reactions due to the unpredictability of reactions with each individual. So for safety reasons, do not mix metronidazole and alcohol.

If you have a bacterial infection, it is very important that you try to treat the infection first and leave your drinking habit behind, even for only a week. Once everything is settled, you can resume your alcohol drinking if you want to. The purpose of trying to treat the bacterial infection first is basically to prevent the infection from growing and spreading throughout. Essentially, you are preventing the infection from becoming worse. Course treatment of antibiotics is necessary because this allows you to completely purge the bacterial infection from your system.

If you have consulted your condition with a medical professional, it is likely that he will prescribe to you a course of antibiotic drugs. Make sure to complete your course of antibiotics so that you become completely free from the infecting bacteria. Even if you are already feeling midway through your antibiotic course treatment, make sure that you still take the metronidazole course prescribed to you so that no remnants of bacteria remains within your system which may potentially grow back and infect you once again. Worst part is if this bacterium develops resistance towards metronidazole. In this case you may need to use stronger but also more expensive antibiotics.